[Fuusm-l] FUUSM votes against the amendments to the UUA Bylaws

[Ted Goertzel]

Seventeen FUUSM members voted in the online election:

2 votes Yes: Approve the proposed amendment (flower graphic and values
statement)

10 votes No: Keep the existing Article II (seven principles and six sources)

1 vote  Abstain From Voting

[image: Forms response chart. Question title: How would you like your
delegates to vote on the options allowed by UUA rules. Number of responses:
16 responses.]

So it's a "landslide" by percentage,but with a low turnout.  The majority
apparently doesn't feel moved to vote at all.  If you would still like to
vote, the invitation I mailed yesterday still works. Or email me and I can
re invite you.

There were four responses to the open-ended question.:

I don't understand why these need to be mutually exclusive, can't we figure
how to utilize both
Current is simple and clear as appropriate for a By-laws document. New
stuff that expands on such is worthy, but for a footnote or appendix or a
separate document.

None of the above. There may be no change in commitment to the bylaws with
either the old Article 2 or the new, amended Article 2. What is the penalty
if we do not commit?

We say we have no creed. Is this a discussion about our creed (bylaws) ?
Seven principals vs. one word flower petals?

Focus on living our values

In addition, I received two comments by email.  One said "keep the same",
the other was a lengthy statement from George Banziger which he published
in Confluence last year.  I will reprint it here FYI:

Article II – My View
George Banziger

I have done some review of materials on the Article II revision that is
being proposed by
UUA. The report is available at :
https://www.uua.org/files/2023-02/article-II-study-report2021-
23.pdf. I have also reviewed the document composed by those who oppose
these changes, which
is available at: https://savethe7principles.org.
I did send a letter to the UUA this past February, which was signed by
other FUUSM
members, expressing some concerns about the Article II changes and a
concern about there
being only one candidate for UUA president. I have not yet received a
response to this letter.
The proposed Article II changes express a commitment to anti-racism,
anti-oppression,
multiculturalism, and an interest in decentering from “white supremacy
culture.”
Those opposed to these changes state their concern that if these changes
are adopted,
UUA will become primarily a social-action organization, rather than a
spiritual organization, and
that, furthermore, UUA can declare congregations as out of covenant if they
don’t adopt this new
commitment and will be held accountable.
After reading the concerns of the “Save the 7 Principles” group, I posed
the question: Do
the advocates for the revised Article II have a response to the charges
that UUA will become
more hierarchical, more judgmental of member congregations, and that the
UUA will basically
be a social-activism organization if the new Article II is adopted. I asked
that question of our
liaison with the UUA (Central East Region). She responded that it is not in
the scope of the
proposed article changes to modify the hierarchy of the UUA or how the UUA
works with
congregations. She referred me for further clarification to the person
dealing with the proposed
changes (changemanager at uua.org). I posed the same question (on May 23) to
that person and as
of this date have not yet received a response.
My sentiments at this point about these proposed changes are with the “Save
the 7
Principles Group.” While civil rights, voting rights, and anti-racism are
important for FUUSM, I
think we have operated from the viewpoint that our commitment to these
issues are sufficiently
included in the FUUSM and UUA principles (FUUSM: #3-“Affirm defend, and
promote the
inherent worth and dignity of every person; #4 – Strive for a world
community of love, justice,
and peace;” UUA: #1 – “Inherent worth and dignity of every person; #2 –
Justice, equity, and
compassion in all human relations”). There are other national groups apart
from the UUA that
have more credibility and effective history of dealing with anti-racism and
white supremacy than
the UUA, such as Black Lives Matter, Southern Poverty Law Center, NAACP, to
name just a
few. Unitarian-Universalism is primarily a spiritual organization, and we
at FUUSM are part of a
spiritual organization. This was my point in posing the following
hypothetical question:
As we embark on our Chalice Lighter Membership Project and try to reach out
to expand
our membership in the Mid-Ohio Valley, I am wondering: If we offered two
different discussion
groups open to the public on the following topics:
1. How do we fight white supremacy?
2. What is the significance of art in the search for spiritual meaning?

1

Which would attract more interest?
We at FUUSM have not hesitated to support anti-racism causes in our recent
past. We
organized an opposition to a KKK visit to our community in the 1970s, and
we were major
participants in Black Lives Matter demonstrations in 2020-2021 in Marietta.
We take these
important positions out of our commitment to our current principles and as
part of our spiritual
interest.
The proposed revisions also state that the central element of the UUA is:
love. Of course,
no one is against love but it is a fairly abstract concept that can be
interpreted in many ways.
Anti-abortion groups claim that their overriding value is love of the
unborn. What kind of love
does the UUA support and how do we in FUUSM express our love (for all
persons, for all living
things, for the natural world)? And how is our love expressed in a way
different from other
religious traditions?
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